Processing Machinery Uses17

Processing Machinery Uses

The wood lathe is a type of processing machinery and is used to create decorative or functional wooden objects. The wood lathe allows the worker to hold the wood stationary and rotate it on an axis while using various tools to shape and cut it. A lathe can be used as a tool for creating beautiful items out of a simple block of wood. Most professional wood turners fall into two categories: artistic turners, who produce small quantities of special order pieces, often decorative and as a hobby, and production turners who mass produce only functional items.

Processing machinery are responsible for making furniture parts such as table legs, finials, spindles, and stretchers. Decorative serving dishes such as serving trays, platters and bowls can also be made with a lathe machine specially designed for that type of work. A mini lathe is used to manufacture pens, key rings, mechanical pencils along with many other small items. Miscellaneous decorative products such as pepper mills, chess pieces, candlesticks, baseball bats, pool cues and tool handles can also be made with a wood lathe.

Handcrafted wood products have always been in high demand. That has not changed, even with the invention of processing machinery and the motorized lathe. The furniture industry will always require handcrafted pieces. Adding a motor to the lathe has allowed manufacturers to continue to produce high quality items in much shorter periods of time. When the computer was added to the lathe machine, mass production became much more cost effective as the automation made it unnecessary to have an operator attending to the machine the entire time it was running.

There are two different methods used by processing machinery that performs wood turning functions. They are called spindle turning and faceplate turning. Each method of turning on a wood lathe is used for a particular purpose. Spindle turning is good for cutting items such as table legs, baseball bats, and spindles for stairways. These items must be cut along the length of the wood. Face plate turning is used for creating platters, bowls, and dishes. The orientation of the grain in the wood determines the method of cutting. If the wood is cut wrong, the finish surface will be very rough and of low quality. The value of the product would then be significantly reduced.